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Ultragenyx and Mereo BioPharma Announce Collaboration and License Agreement for Setrusumab in Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Clinical-stage monoclonal antibody in development for rare genetic bone disease that builds on Ultragenyx’s existing bone franchise Ultragenyx leads and funds
About this update from Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Clinical-stage monoclonal antibody in development for rare genetic bone disease that builds on Ultragenyx’s existing bone franchise Ultragenyx leads and funds development to approval; Mereo retains commercial rights in Europe, Ultragenyx commercializes in US and in rest of world Mereo receives $50 million upfront and is eligible for milestones up to $254 million NOVATO, Calif., LONDON, and REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: RARE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel products for serious rare and ultra-rare diseases, and Mereo BioPharma Group plc (Nasdaq: MREO, AIM: MPH), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare diseases, today announced a license and collaboration agreement for setrusumab, a monoclonal antibody in clinical development for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Setrusumab is an investigational anti-sclerostin fully human monoclonal antibody that has shown the ability to improve bone production and density leading to greater bone strength in animal models of OI. Data from a Phase2b of setrusumab conducted by Mereo demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in bone formation, density, and strength in adults with OI. “Setrusumab is a great complement to Ultragenyx’s product portfolio and enables us to leverage the broad expertise and infrastructure we have established in metabolic bone diseases with Crysvita,” stated Emil D. Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Ultragenyx. “Most importantly, setrusumab is a promising option for patients with osteogenesis imperfecta, which is one of the most common genetic bone diseases associated with frequent bone fractures.” “Osteogenesis imperfecta is a rare and devastating genetic disease, with currently no approved therapies. We are proud to partner with Ultragenyx to continue the development of setrusumab as potentially the first approved therapy for OI in both children and adults,” said Dr. Denise Scots-Knight, Chief Executive Officer of Mereo. “Following the positive data from our Phase 2b ASTEROID study, we set out to find the right partner and we believe that Ultragenyx, with its proven track record of successfully developing and commercializing novel therapies for rare diseases, is ideally positioned to support the furth...